The Downward Spiral
by JazzM137
Summary: John and Jo have hit a rough patch, but can this mean the end of their relationship forever?


Jo stood in the doorway trying to regain her composure, you see, it wasn't everyday you found your lover having an affair with his ex-wife...on his desk. However the emotions were too strong to hold down.

"John!"

John was distracted from the task at hand and looked up. He had been oblivious to the door opening and the gasp as Jo had realised what she was seeing, he had been too busy re-learning the subtle curves of George's body, the delightful taste of her skin, the feel of her lips to pay any attention to anything at all. With John's attention came George's and with George's attention came a barrage of snide remarks and cutting quips, all designed to hurt or embarrass Jo.

"So this is a bit of role-reversal, last time we were in this situation, it was you lying on the desk and me wondering what the hell was happening."

Sliding from underneath John she stood by the desk, unruffled and perfectly poised.

"It really has been great John, but now 'Ms.' Oxfam's here, I'm not really in the mood any more. How about we 'catch up' on Thursday instead?" And with that she strode off, a self satisfied smirk plastered across her face and leaving behind her a flabbergasted ex-husband and an incensed rival.

As soon as the heavy oak door clicked into place Jo let forth a torrent of questions, emotions and pure anger;

"What on earth do you think you were doing?! Is this the way it is always going to be?! Just jumping between me and George?! I honestly cannot believe you sometimes! You are despicable! Unbelievable! Just as I thought everything was finally going well between us! Lord knows I've tried to make this work! How many years has this relationship been going wrong? How many years have you been saying you'll commit? That you'll be mine and mine alone, only for me to find you with some slag or another!..."

The flood of Jo's one sided conversation continued to flow and John knew better than to try and stem it. He had been on the receiving end of such outbursts for many years, first from George and then from Jo, though George had always managed to throw in a few more 'below the belt' remarks than Jo. John had learnt from experience that the easiest thing to do was to just let whoever felt that they needed to rant to have their ten minutes before trying to get his view across. This tactic often meant he avoided having heavy objects flung at him by whomever he had offended. It took a while before Jo's tirade started to wind up, but as soon as it was safe to do so John tried to interject in his defence. It wasn't magnificent, but it was the best he could do in the compromising circumstances.

"Jo. I'm sorry. I am truly horrendous, but you know what George is like. She saw I was happy with you and she wanted to do her best to try and ruin that for us. She is manipulative and smart and I am weak..."

The self-deprecatory act was beginning to work on Jo, but before she could be completely suckered in she realised John was playing her.

"Do you expect me to believe that? Shall we vilify George and exonerate you? Shall we lay all the blame at George's door because she is the nasty, horrid, scary lady? Grow up John! I know you and you are as pig-headed as they come, there is no chance in hell that you could be made to do something that you didn't want to do!"

John looked as if he was about to speak but Jo mowed him down,

"There is no way you could have been on top of George, on your desk, without wanting to! And you can try as hard as you like to feed me the line about her trying to ruin our happiness but we both know it isn't true. You pounced on an opportunity to have some fun, and George was pouncing on an opportunity for revenge. But do you know what? George is welcome to you, I don't give a damn anymore."

Jo had nothing more to say, so she turned on her heel and left, leaving in her wake a rather bemused John. It had all been going so well, Jo had seemed to be accepting everything he said, she seemed to believe him and then, all of a sudden she saw through the smoke and saw exactly what he was trying to hide.

Confused and a little pissed off, he walked around his desk and sat down in his chair. Picking up his mobile, he dialled a number and let it ring.

"Hi, Rachel..."


End file.
